Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced today the signing of defenseman Brendan Bell to a one-year, two-way contract.

Bell played last season with both the Phoenix Coyotes and their American Hockey League affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. In 69 games with the Rampage, he scored seven goals and added 24 assists for 31 points while recording 80 penalty minutes. He recorded no points in two games with the Coyotes.

The 25-year-old was the Toronto Maple Leafs' third-round choice (65th overall) in the 2001 National Hockey League entry draft. He made his NHL debut in 2005-06 with Toronto, playing in one game with the Maple Leafs. In 48 career NHL games with Toronto and Phoenix, Bell has scored one goal and added six assists while recording 27 penalty minutes.

The defenseman has represented Canada internationally on two occasions, winning a gold medal at the 2003-04 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, and winning a silver medal at the 2002 world junior championships in Halifax.

Bell enjoyed a decorated junior hockey career with the Ottawa 67's, scoring 171 points (32-139) in 238 games over four seasons. In his final year with the 67's in 2002-03, he was named to the Canadian Hockey League's first all-star team and won the CHL defenseman-of-the-year award.

The Ottawa, Ont., native has 26 goals, 104 assists and 308 penalty minutes in 288 AHL games with St. John’s, San Antonio and Toronto.